What the heck?

Well, what the heck?  Remnants from Hurricane Matthew at the farm.  It's the neighbor's trampoline which ended up in the trees.  Now you might wonder how it will ever get out of there - well, I wonder the same thing.  Guess it will be "yard art".













One of the pecan trees blew over - there were three in a row and the middle one blew over.  Now why the middle - who knows! 
I'm very thankful everything else was left standing.

NC State Fair

It's that time of the year again!  The NC State Fair starts tomorrow and will run thru the 23rd.  There's nothing better or more entertaining than the fair - the best thing after the animals and crazy food is the people watching. 

 

Many years ago I went to the fair with the "love of my life" at the time and his horrible child.  It was as fun as could be considering the circumstances - well, enough about that part - anyhow, he won a goldfish and this little goldfish lived with me for a long, long time.  I think I named it Lucky (well, it was lucky to be alive so the name was appropriate).

 

Curious George

Curious George turns 75!  The first Curious George book was published in 1941.  The Reys wrote seven stories about Curious George and more books were released in the 1980s and a series of books called the New Adventures continues today.

Curious George appears on television, movies and the little monkey has six apps for mobile phones and tablets.  He is funny and I enjoy watching his show on television (I don't know what that says about me). 

A couple of interesting facts - the authors were Jewish and had to flee Paris on bicycles - they carried only the essential items - warm coats, food and five book manuscripts, including "Curious George".  Eventually they made their way to New York City and the rest is history.  "The Journey That Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H.A. Rey" by Louise Borden at the library or bookstore.  On my list to read.

 

 

Reunion

 

Lily has a little powdered sugar on her back - she's a mess.

Lily and I are making cookies for the reunion tomorrow.  It's my Father's side of the family and truthfully almost all the original family members have passed on and now I'm probably considered one of the "older generation".  It's almost frightening to realize you're OLD!  OMG!

But glad to be here and Lily and I are making my Mother's Sugar Cookies and also deviled eggs.  I'll take something else but not sure right now - might be Carolina Packers Bright Leaf Hot Dogs - I can fry them.  Makes me hungry just thinking about it.  I will miss my Mom's chicken pastry and brown peas. She always made an Italian Cream Cake too which was a favorite of one of my cousins - well, really everybody but especially Sherwood.

Anyhow the reunion - we always have barbecue (the pig will be cooked tonight) and lemonade made by hand (of course) in wooden tubs which are probably older than me.  The food is great but as I said we're a small family now but I have always gone to reunions.  I just love going - seeing everybody and getting a chance to catch up without it being at a funeral. 

One of my cousins (now deceased) and his wife always did the genealogical stuff and it goes back to the 1700's.  The first reunion was held the 2nd Sunday in September, 1930.  I am the eleventh  generation of my family in this country.   

 

Mom's Sugar Cookies

I skipped last year cause my relatives has pissed me off to the point I didn't think I could be in the same room much less same building with them but I've settled down a little. You can pick your friends but you're kinda stuck with your relatives - mine are a mess to say the least!



Holy Batman

After our walk this morning and as I was getting ready for work, Lily got a little excited with something on the floor in front of the refrigerator.  At first I thought it was a small turd but after giving it a better look - Holy Batman - it was a small bat (and alive no less).  So I put a dish towel over the little bat and picked it up and carried it outside.  I did put it across the fence.
Now how you ask could I have a bat in the house . . . . well, the answer would be Little Kitty.  She was in early this morning and all happy with herself.  I should have known.  So I figure she caught that little bat, brought him in the house and just dumped him, he/she scooted under the refrigerator trying to get away and then it came out later. 
Little Kitty is great - I don't have mice, rats, snakes or much of anything in the garden and around the house.  I'm excited about the bat because they eat mosquitos and that means I must have a family around here somewhere.  A single bat can eat more than 600 bugs an hour — making bats a perfect choice for organic pest control.


Not my hand you see there!



Bats just hanging out!

Again life is interesting with all my animals.

Dimestore

I've just finished reading Lee Smith's "Dimestore".  It's funny and charming - little stories about her life growing up in Virginia, helping in the local dimestore which her father owned, crazy and unusual relatives, her writing and life in general. 
One of the stories was about Aunt Gay-Gay.  "She drank a lot of gin and tonics and sometimes she'd start in on them early, winking at my Uncle Bob and saying, "Pour me one, honey, it's already dark underneath the house."  This just cracked me up!  So now I don't have to wait till five o'clock.

Checking Hives

Hive #1

Hive #3

Hive #4

I checked the hives last week when it was so HOT!  They're holding their own but not making honey like I've seen in years past.  They all still have room in the hive which was surprising.  There's plenty of bees, didn't see but one hive beetle, some ants in Hive #1 but not a problem.  I put a super on Hive #3 and removed the brood box which I had put on in April.  They didn't need all that space and had not started working the frames in the brood box.  Hive #1 and #4 still had empty frames so I left well enough alone.
It seems this year is not as productive for my bees.  I know this is not the case for everyone but I won't be taking any honey till the fall and then we'll see.  Hive #1 and #3 are both new hives - plenty of bees in each hive and they look strong and healthy.  Hive #4 is also a strong hive.  I'll say again the weather this year has been different.  Right now we are in the hot, muggy and thunderstorm period and I expect more of the same for the next several weeks.  Then we'll probably hit the hot and dry spells in August and September.  And I have left the jars on the hives - I'll probably be feeding so it just makes more sense - will be one less thing to do later on.